Chapter 19: Myth—Sexuality Doesn’t Matter

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Solomon married Ammonite wives and other foreigners, eventually

building “a high place” for their idol worship, which actually included child sacrifices. This was an abomination to God who became angry with him.

“For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned

his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully

follow the Lord, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he did likewise

for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart

had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded. Therefore the Lord

said to Solomon, ‘Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.’ ” 1 Kings 11:4-11

Lot’s oldest daughter fathered Moab, the founder of the Moabites who often participated with the Ammonites in their evil against the Israelites. These people had their own brand of idolatry that angered the Lord.

“The Moabites maintained hostile relations with the Israelites and frequently moved against them in war (Judg. 3:12-30; 1 Sam. 14).” 64